Good morning. Do you like soft-boiled eggs? I do. What a nice break from fried or scrambled eggs. I sometimes over cook them and that is not good. Most times they are soft and loose. A piece of toast and cup of Nantucket blend and I'm well satisfied.
So many times while fishing a stream that is full of brookies I'll hook one of these. The brown trout although not a native has been with us for so many years we almost consider them so. I have heard that these trout will wreak havoc on our native population of brook trout, but in my travels here in Connecticut I have not seen this. Most times these two seem to coexist....a lesson can be had here.
The brown above and this brookie came from the same stream.
I enjoy tying these large soft-hackle flies. They are tied on low water salmon hooks and I have taken quite a few trout on them.
I am going to make an effort to try to fish some larger waters using these flies. 2019 may be the year that "Small Stream Reflections" meets "Big Water Reflections".
As long as the browns stay the size of that one, no problems. But if that "German invader" ;-) lives long enough to be 10" or 12" long, the little brookies will need to have their heads on a swivel. Love your trout sized speys!
ReplyDeleteWilliam Shuck
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Bill big browns very seldom occur in the small streams but are prevalent in large rivers. The Farmington river here in CT is a trophy brown trout fishery, with many in the 20" plus taken with regularity. But those wild tenacious brookies are doing fine.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI can see both these soft hackle patterns being tested on the Farmington come 2019-----looking forward to a report. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill that is for sure. There are a couple of other rivers that I think these flies should be productive.
Lovely ties Alan. Not casting those on your 5' 3 wt I assume. :-)
ReplyDeletebill piatek
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Bill I think it would be asking a bit much of the 5' 3wt. I have an Orvis 7, 5wt that will do nicely.
We have Brooks and Browns in the same creeks and doesn't seem to be a problem. I'll pass on the soft eggs.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
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Mark if they stay small they can coexist. Soft cooked eggs are OK, it's the fried eggs that are under cooked with all of that "Hooch Snot" that turns me off.
Alan, those are great looking trout and amazing flies. Last year I caught a 13 in. brown out of my best brookie stream; they seem to get along just fine. I like my eggs boiled for 6 minutes and served with seeded rye toast, fried ham and topped with a touch of fresh basil. Oh, and green mtn. coffee is a must.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Cal
Anonymous
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Cal I think the key to them getting along is size. A 13" brown really likes meat. I like your recipe.
Hi Alan
ReplyDeleteEggs are a favourite in our household (my eldest would live on them if he could). We prefer poached eggs on well buttered toast with plenty of pepper and a tiny bit of salt.
I have also been spending bit more time on the larger waters this year after an invite to join a new club. This has been fortunate as we have really struggled for water here in the UK leaving many of the small streams local to me desperately low!
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Alistair
Alistair Corbishley
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Alistair, I have a problem with poached eggs. I can never get them to hold together in the water. For us in the northeast U.S. the rainfall has been awesome. Our small streams have been full for sometime. I to love ample cracked black pepper.
5 minutes in already boiling water. If you do for 6 but straigtaway plunge in cold water having tapped the shell you can peel them later, pefect white and stil runny yolks. Great to open on a salad.
ReplyDeleteWe only seem to have brown shelled egs here.
Bureboyblog
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Now ther's a recipe I'll follow. We have both white and brown eggs here. I'm told that brown eggs are local and the white are from, they don't say. So perhaps brown eggs are fresher.
Soft boiled, runny yolk eggs are super, as far as I'm concerned. I disdain well done, overcooked food, in general. Seafood should never be overcooked. In larger trout streams, pickerel can do a number on small trout. When I catch them I still can't bring myself to kill them. I fish flys so I don't catch many.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik,
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John I agree with you. Seafood is delicate and over cooking it is a shame. I love scallops seared in a hot cast iron pan, removed quickly and drizzled with butter. A nice risotto on the side is nice.
Beautiful ties, Alan! I especially like the second fly. I'm with John, over cooked food is almost a crime. Raising beef cattle like we do, my idea of the perfectly cooked rib eye consists of holding a steak up to a picture of a flame and calling it done.
ReplyDeletemike
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Mike your cooking method is quite unique. Having been a meat cutter for over 40 years I can appreciate quality meat being handled the best way possible and that includes it's preparation. I love a center cut bone in chuck, either a steak or roast.
Sourdough toast and boiled for me with buttered soldiers. Regards, John
ReplyDeleteThe Two Terriers
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John with a slice of toast made from your sourdough I could omit the eggs and still be so satisfied.
Alan, you might like the zone of the Swift that I fish. Depending on flow, most times 50 CFS, it is an awful lot like a small stream. You would do real well there, of that I am very confident. Best, Sam
ReplyDeleteParachute Adams
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Sam maybe in the New Year you could find the time to guide me for a few hours. Cold out there this morning.
Alan, I would be very happy to do that.
ReplyDeleteSam that's good to know come next spring.
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